Gawain
Sir Gawain was the son of King Lot of the Orkney Islands and Morgause the Enchantress. He was an acclaimed knight of the Round Table. Terence was his squire. Sir Gawain later became The Maiden's Knight. He entered the World of Faeries several times with Terence. Childhood Gawain was born in Orkney, the eldest of the five children of King Lot and Queen Morgause. His younger brothers, in order, were Gaheris, Agrivain, and Gareth. He also had a younger sister, Elaine. During his youth, his father was often gone on a war campaign, trying to win more land for Morgause to rule, as Lot was completely under Morgause's control. When he was home, however, Lot trained Gawain and Gaheris. Gawain excelled at this training, quickly becoming a great swordsman with natural talent. When Arthur returned, Morgause, not accepting a High King of All England and unable to give up on being called Her Highness, forced Lot to go to war against her half-brother, though Lot liked Arthur. Lot was killed, and ended up dying nobly, side by side with Duke Idres. At the end of the battle, when they were found lying side-by-side, knights from both sides wept. Gawain also acquired the aughisky Guingalet sometime before he turned nineteen. Knighthood Early Knighthood A few years later, when he was nineteen or twenty years old, Gawain decided that he was going to try to become a knight at Arthur's Court. On his way, he rode through the Gentle Woods, where he took a rabbit from a trap that belonged to Terence. When Terence found him, Gawain taught him how to use a longbow and gave it to him in payment. When their lesson was over, it was late, so Terence invited Gawain to stay the night at the hermitage where he lived with Trevisant, the Hermit of the Gentle Wood. Terence cooked a delicious stew, which was quickly devoured by the three. Just after they finished, a knight called Sir Hautubris came and demanded some of the stew. Gawain calmly explained that they had just finished it, but Sir Hautubris attacked anyway. Gawain defeated him while wearing no armor, his only weapon a stewpot. He took Sir Hautubris' sword from him, but the knight took another from his saddle and tried to attack while Gawain's back was turned. Gawain killed him. The next morning, when Gawain left the hermitage with Terence as his squire, Trevisant granted him a boon: his strength would rise and fall with the sun. On their way to Arthur's Court, they encountered a young man named Tor, who also sought to be made a knight at Arthur's Court. They traveled with him the rest of the way to Camelot. When they arrived, they were surprised to see that preparations were being made for war. Upon introduction in Arthur's Court, Arthur greeted Gawain warmly and with genuine pleasure. Upon Gawain's petition to become a knight, Arthur asked if he had done any deeds that would make him deserving of knighthood. Terence told of his battle with Sir Hautubris, and Arthur knighted Gawain immediately, making him a member of the Fellowship of the Round Table. The very next day, they rode to war against the Five Kings of Denmark, Ireland, the Vale, Soleyse, and the Isle of Longtains. Gawain, Terence, and Tor were chosen to be part of a scouting party with Sir Kai, in order to investigate possible signals. Terence went ahead and stole the ring that the Kings used to make their claim against Arthur, and was chased to the Five Kings back to the knights. Sir Kai and Tor each killed a king, then killed a third together. Gawain killed two kings. He was greatly honored for this. After the War of the Five Kings, the land, and the court, returned to peace. Gawain referred to it as tedium, as each day was a leisurely round of feasting, telling tales, and dallying with fair ladies. All the ladies found Gawain irresistable, and he devoted much of his time to them. He gained a quick reputation as a ladies' favorite, though he preferred the evenings he spent drinking and arguing with the other knights. The First Quest At midnight on the first night of feasting after the King's wedding, the spectacle is interrupted by a giant white hart, followed by a giant white hound. After they disappear out the window, a massive white mule enters the hall, with a veiled lady all in white on his back. The lady shames the court for simply letting the animals be, and is then challenged by Gawain that she called it an adventure. Gawain forces her to pull up her veil to prove that she is a lady, and she was the ugliest lady that anyone had ever seen. Gawain and the lady then begin a contest of insults. The lady insists that two knights follow the animals. Arthur appoints Sir Tor to follow the hound, and the lady insists that Gawain be sent after the hart. At the beginnning of the quest, Gawain has a decidedly ill temper, that is only resolved with the help of Tor and Terence. On the second day of their quest, they encounterde two knights, in full armor, fighting in a field. They reveal that they are fighting because of something they cannot remember, then introduce themselves as brothers, Sorlouse and Brian of the Forest. Gawain insults them, then refuses to fight them. The knights tell them that the hart went north, and they continue on. Less than an hour later, they find the hart in a meadow, and the group separates, Gawain and Terence sending the greyhounds after the hart, while Tor goes off to find the brachet. They are stopped by a knight at a river, who guards the only crossing. He calls himself Alardin of the Hill, and demands that Gawain joust him. He gives Gawain a lance that shatters on their first pass. On the second pass, Alardin's horse breaks its leg due to his stupidity, so Gawain kills him quickly. He then kills the horse grimly. They find that the greyhounds have killed the hart in the courtyard of a castle. Before Gawain or Terence can do anything, a knight comes out and kills all the dogs but one, whom Gawain is forced to kill because he is severely wounded. Gawain wounds the knight five times, for every hound he killed, and is about to strike the killing blow when a lady comes out and begs that he not kill him. Gawain agrees, but the knight tries to attack, using his lady as a shield, as soon as he turns. Gawain accidentally kills the lady, then tells the knight, Sir Ablamor of the Marsh, to take the hart and the lady's body to Camelot, and tell the King Sir Gawain sent them. They reunite with Tor and his new squire, Plogrun, two hours later. They camp by a stream for two weeks while Gawain instructs Tor in the lance and sword, while Plogrun instructs Terence in archery and squiring. Terence is then given a message from the Seelie Court by a faery messenger, Robin, to give to Gawain. The message states that Gawain's quest isn't finished yet, in fact, it's barely begun. He is told to take the advice of the next relative of his that he meets. At the camp, a silent knight appears to challenge them. Tor fights him first and loses. Gawain then fights him and defeats him. The knight then reveals himself as Sir Marhault of Cornwall, who was cursed not to speak by an enchantress, until he was defeated by a knight. Gawain released him from the spell. That night, Terence gave the message to Gawain. The next day, they are at the camp when a dragon, a thick serpent with a triangular head, appeared. It demands that one of the knights marry it. Gawain deduces that the dragon is actually his Aunt Morgan, and reveals it to the other knights. Morgan transforms herself back to a human, and Marhault reveals that she was the same sorceress who cursed him to be silent. Morgan tells Gawain that his quest is not over, and that he needs to ride east. He listens to her instructions, and Tor and Marhault ride with him. They encounter the Three Questing Ladies shortly afterwards. Tor chooses to go with the eldest, Lady Lyne, Marhault picks the middle-aged lady, and Gawain is left with the young, beautiful Lady Alisoun. Terence and Gawain quickly discover that Alisoun is very bloodthirsty. They soon come upon a battle between one knight and ten others. The one knight wins, but then surrenders to the defeated ten. Lady Alisoun thinks Gawain incredibly cowardly for not helping him. A few minutes later, they come upon two knights riding together. One of them asks Gawain if he'd like to joust. Gawain immediately agrees. He fights lightly until Lady Alisoun leaves with the other knight. The first knight reveals himself to be Sir Carados, son of the local Earl, and tells them that the one knight was Sir Pelleas, and the ten knights were from Lady Ettard, whom Pelleas loves. He allows himself to be captures so that he can see her. The next day, Gawain and Terence go to Dalinbrook Castle, home of Sir Pelleas, and learn about his plight. Gawain attempts to help him by faking love for Ettard, but this only makes things worse, as Pelleas turns from Ettard, though Ettard proclaims her love for him. Terence and Gawain ride away, but are woken the next morning by a beautiful lady, Nimue, the Lady of the Lake. She takes them back to Pelleas and Ettard, where they return them to their previous happy state as an abuser and abused. Nimue then takes them back into the eastern forest and to their lakeside encampment. She orders them to follow her into the lake, then follow the lake itself until the candle of heaven shows them an open door. She tells them to enter there, and they will face their final test. Nimue disappears into the lake, and they ride across an underwater road through the middle of the lake. After night has fallen, they begin hearing small splashing sounds and feel snake-like creatures coil around them. Once they are through them, Gawaint tells Terence that they were shaghuses, poison eels that only have to run their tongues over your skin to kill you. A thunderstorm begins, but the pair make their way into a castle illuminated by the lightning from the storm. Inside the castle, they are escorted to a bedchamber by a fair-haired lady, who tells them that they are in the Castle of Ganscotter the Enchanter. The next morning, a kitchent maid tells them that Lady Audrey will return to escort them to the Master shortly. When she does, Gawain and Terence look out the window to see that there are no rivers leading into the moat, though they most certainly came out of it. Lady Audrewy mysteriously says that all the waters of their world was contained in their moat. She takes them to Ganscotter, who welcomes them warmly, and tells Gawain that the object of his quest is to become the Maiden's Knight. Ganscotter requests that Gawain tell his tale, which he does in honest detail. When he finishes, Ganscotter asks what he has learned of women. Gawain replies, "I have learned above all that I have much to learn. I must allow women the privilege of interpreting themselves as they will." When he says this, the hag from the feast appears, saying that Gawain is either very wise or very diplomatic. Ganscotter introduces her as his daughter, Lorie. Gawain quickly kneels before the lady and begs her forgiveness for his rudeness. She forgives him, and they spend the rest of the day talking. That night, Lorie comes and offers Gawain her love. He accepts immediately, and she then reveals herself to be a very beautiful woman. She tells him to choose which appearance she will have, and she will obey. Gawain replies that she must choose, and he will not command her. Lorie chooses that appearance, and the pair embraces. Ganscotter then appears and announces that Gawain has passed his final test to become the Maiden's Knight. He awards him with a golden sash, and tells him that it is a gift and a burden. A few seconds later, Lorie and Ganscotter, and all their surroudnings, are gone, and they stood in a meadow by a stream. Gawain cries the night away while Terence stands guard, and the next morning, realizing that three months have passed, they begin to ride to look for the well where they are to meet Tor, Marhault, and the Three Questing Ladies. They exchanged tales, learning that Marhault had defeated a giant and Tor had won a tournament and defeated two brothers who were trying to steal the lands of the Lady of the Rock. Gawain told the story of what they had done, omitting all reference to Nimue or faeries. The next day, as they ride back towards Camelot, they encounter a woman, a knight, and a dwarf. The knight and the dwarf are arguing over the lady. The knight, Sir Edgar the Fair, and the dwarf, Bigglesnog, ask them to judge their case over who deserves the Lady Dulphina. Tor and Marhault are leaning towards Edgar when Gawain asks to handle it. The other two agree, and Gawain rides up to Dulphina and asks her if she loves one of her suitors. She nods, and Gawain tells her to go with that suitor. She chooses Bigglesnog, and they ride away happily. Gawain realizes that the burden of the Maiden's Knight makes him closer to Lorie. That night, as they camp by a pool, Terence and Gawain encounter Nimue, who gifts Gawain with the sword Galatine, the only thing she has to give to her mistress's beloved. He throws his old sword into the pond. When they arrive at Camelot, they are greeted warmly by Arthur, Guinevere, and the entire court. In the privacy of Gawain's rooms, Kai tells Gawain that Merlin left without a word, though Terence apparently knew about it, and that Arthur is sick and lonely. Kai has been his only support, as Gawain was not there as his family and Guinevere seems too shy to do anything. At the feast that night, Gawain tells his tale in all its courtly language. Marhault then begins his tale, but King Arthur collapses in the middle. Gawain follows Terence to the stables, where he finds him saddling Guingalet. Gawain rides with him, following Terence's directions, to a hill with a treeless top. There, they encounter Gawain's mother, Morgause, and his father, who was buried personally by Gawain. Gawain fights his father while Terence counters Morgause. Gawain eventually slices through his father, only to discover that it is merely his father's empty armor. He collapses. When Gawain awakes, he and Terence are back in their chambers in Camelot, and the King is almost well. Terence refuses to say how they got there, but only says that he dumped Morgause's cauldron into the cistern and she jumped in after it. He also clarifies that what Gawain fought was only his empty armor. Gawain and Terence drink together, only to be interrupted by Arthur himself, who tells them that they were in his dreams as he lay on his deathbed. Both bow to the King, Terence giving a slight bow, as one would to an equal, and Arthur returns it. The Coming of Lancelot Three or four years later, at a state dinner, held to farewell the French King Ban of Benouic, they are interrupted by emissaries from Lucius, the self-styled Emperor of Rome, who demands tribute or he will declare war. Arthur and Ban agree to go to war together to defeat Lucius, and Arthur sends the emissaries away with the message. After Arthur swiftly gathers an army and crosses the channel, Arthur sends Gawain, Bors, Lionel, and Bedivere to offer Lucius the chance to surrender. Though under the protection of a white flag, they are set on from behind and are forced to fight desperately to escape. This is the first skirmish of the war. Gawain is badly injured, with a "vicious-looking gash in his side and a deep cut in his sword arm, among what seemed like a thousand lesser cuts and bruises." Due to these injuries, Gawain and Terence sit mounted on a hill overlooking the battlefield. They watch as the armies meet head on, and are dismayed to discover that Lucius hid most of his armies until he knew what he was up against. They continue to watch as King Ban's men rejoice as a warrior is brilliant silver armor charges into battle. He is an amazing horseman and a wizard with a lance. They also catch sight of another regiment of Romans attacking from behind. They charge down to meet them. They begin fighting in impossible odds, Terence with his longbow and Gawain with Galatine. When Terence distracts them with his arrows, they charge him, only to be stopped by a strange knight in black armor, the best warrior they have ever seen. A moment later, they are joined by the silver knight, until the Romans suddenly surrender. They are surprised to find that the "Romans" were actually mercenaries, and surrendered because Lucius was killed. As soon as they ride away, the silver knight kneels at Arthur's feet and asks to become one of his servants. Arthur agrees to make him one of his knights, and the silver knight introduces himself as Sir Lancelot, son of King Ban of Benouic. Lancelot is quickly toasted as the Flower of All Chivalry and the Greatest Knight of All Time, even by those who always toasted Gawain as the Greatest Knight. Lancelot does not arrive until the middle of the victory ball, where he is "persuaded" by the ladies to stay. Lancelot ends by calling Guinevere the fairest lady there, asking if he can bear her token in the tournament the next day, not knowing that she is the Queen. When he finds out that she is, he is aghast, but Arthur gives him permission to do so. After the tournament, Lancelot presents the prize to Guinevere, which she rapturously receives. A love affair quickly develops in Camelot, as well as two factions. The one, by far larger faction, surrounds Lancelot and Guinevere, and the ideal of Courtly Love. The other, believing that Guinevere should be true to Arthur, is centered around Gawain and Kai. Only the King, refusing to identify with either of the groups, allows the two groups to meet in peace. Gawain and Terence are two of the only people to see how deeply Arthur is hurt, Gawain and Arthur crying together over their loves. Tor and Morgan return to Camelot together, and Morgan reveals that she loves Arthur. The Quest of the Green Knight On the seventh day of an abnormally dull Christmas Feast, the feast is interrupted by knight in green armor who carries a large axe. He offers a challenge, stroke for stroke, which Arthur accepts. Gawain begs the king to allow him to take the challenge in his stead. The knights vote, and, though pained, all vote that Gawain should take it. Gawain tells the knight his name, and the knight replies that he is the Knight of the Green Chapel, and makes Gawain swear that he will come to the Green Chapel in one year's time for his answering blow. After three months of the court treating him like something between a ghost and a martyr, Gawain and Terence decide to leave. At the meeting of the Round Table to signify their going-off, Lancelot presents Gawain with a shield that has the Blessed Virgin painted on the inside, though she does not look virginal in the least bit. After the meeting, Gawain and Terence leave in the middle of the night. Gawain begins instructing Terence to be a knight. He does rather well with the sword, his only weakness being an unwillingness to attack. The first knight they encounter challenges them, and when Gawain declines, he calls him a coward and charges him. Terence ends up unhorsing the knight, who is called Sir Oneas of Mercia, the Knight of the Crossroads. They pretend that it was Sir Gawain who defeated him and he tells them about the Huntsman of Anglesey, who may be the Green Knight. They ride to Caernarvon, and are ferried by a fisherman to the Isle of Anglesey. Upon arrival in Anglesey, they meet with the Earl. The Earl tells him that two of his sons, Erkin and Barzil, were hunting deer with boar spears when Erkin was shot with an arrow by the huntsman. He then tells that a man from the east shore disappeared and only his hands and feet were found, in the middle of the forest, and that people see the huntsman at night, riding a stag the size of a horse. That night, which they spend in the woods, they are nearly attacked by woodsman, who identifies himself as Dirk, who lives in the woods by Holyhead and hunts there periodically. Dirk proclaims that tales of the huntsman are meant for children only. Gawain realizes that Dirk accidentally killed Erkin, and there is no Huntsman of Anglesey besides Dirk. To help Dirk, they make up a story about how they killed the Hunstman with a charmed arrow, and instruct Dirk to have the villagers build a shrine on the spot the Huntsman was "defeated." They give him the Virgin Mary shield as a holy relic to put in the shrine. After inquiring about the Green Chapel, Dirk recommends they go to the Wilderness of Wirral. In the Wilderness, Gawain is captured by the Marquis of Alva during his nap while Terence is out hunting. Terence manages to rescue him a day later, dressed as a woman in a gray dress. When they make their escape, they take with them Alan, a guard who had helped Terence, and Eileen, the Marquis's niece, who had also helped with the rescue. Alan leaves them to go to Camelot, but Eileen remains with them. A few nights later, while camped in a haunted wood, Gawain sees the ghost of his sister, Elaine, and follows her, discarding all of his armor and clothes. Other Names *Sir Gawain - his official title as a knight *Crown Prince of the Orkney Islands - a title never used in the series, but implied, as he was the eldest son of the King of the Orkney Islands *King of the Orkney Islands - if Arthur had not become High King, Gawain would have been King of Orkney *Prince Gawain - a title Gawain told Terence never to use *The Maiden's Knight - a title awarded to him by Ganscotter after his encounter with Lorie *G'winn - the nickname used only by his younger sister, Elaine *Nephew - Arthur, and sometimes Morgan, call him this, due to their familial relationship. *Little nephew/nevvy - Morgan's condescending nicknames for him, due to their constant squabble about each other's ages *Greatest of Arthur's Knights - a title given to him by many, especially before the arrival and after the departure of Sir Lancelot. Arthur himself calls him this. Family *Lorie - Lorie is Gawain's wife. However, they are often seperated for he stays in the World of Men, and she stays in the faery world. She is the daughter of Ganscotter the Enchanter and a French princess. *Terence- Terence is Gawain's squire and brother-in-law,as the half-brother of Lorie. He is also Gawain's best friend. *Guinglain - once called Beaufils, or Le Beau Desconus, is Gawain's son. He was around seventeen years old when he found out his parentage. *Ganscotter - Ganscotter is Gawain's father-in-law and he is also The Enchanter, a great lord among faeries. *Morgause - Morgause is Gawain's mother. She is the Enchantress, the greatest threat to the World of Men in her time. *Morgan Le Fay - Morgan Le Fay is Gawain's aunt. When Gawain's sister, Elaine, was still alive she used to look after her. Morgan is only a year older than Gawain, a fact that he constantly teases her about. *Elaine - Gawain's younger sister. She died very young, but now dwells in Avalon. *Gaheris - Gawain's favorite brother. Gaheris is not a very good knight, but he has a good heart. Gawain gave him charge of the family lands in Orkney. He is the second son of Morgause and Lot. Gaheris is married to Lady Lynet of Perle. *Lynet - Lynet is the wife of Gaheris and the sister-in-law of Gawain. She is an enchantress whose specialty is healing. *Luneta - Luneta is the daughter of Gaheris and Lynet, and Gawain's only niece. She is an enchantress in her own right, more powerful than her mother but less powerful than Morgan. She is married to Rhience. *Rhience - the husband of Luneta and Gawain's nephew-in-law. He was once a monk called Brother Matthew, as well as a knight called Sir Calogrenant. He also spent a year as a fool before taking charge of his family lands, where he lives with Luneta. *Morganna - the adopted daughter of Rhience and Luneta and Gawain's great-niece. She was adopted after his death. *Arthur - Arthur is Gawain's uncle, as his mother, Morgause, was Arthur's half-sister. *Guinevere - Guinevere is Gawain's aunt, due to her marriage to Arthur. *Agrivain - Agrivain is Gawain's second brother. He is also a knight, though not as acclaimed as Gawain. *Gareth - Gareth is Gawain's youngest brother. He is considered a domnoddy by his brothers. He is a devoted follower of Sir Lancelot. His wife is Lyonesse. *Lyonesse - the wife of Gareth and Gawain's sister-in-law. She is the daughter of Duke Idres of Cornwall, and the Lady of Castle Perle. She is considered idiotic by her sister, Lynet. *Mordred - Mordred is both Gawain's half-brother, by his mother Morgause, and his first cousin, by his uncle, Arthur. *Uriens - Uriens is the King of Gore and Gawain's first cousin, once removed. He is the father of Ywain the Elder. *Ywain the Elder - Ywain the Elder is the son of Uriens and Gawain's second cousin. *Ywain the Younger - Ywain the Younger is the son of Ywain the Elder and Gawain's second cousin, once removed. *Laudine - Laudine is the wife of Ywain the Younger, making her his second cousin, once removed as well. *Florence, Lovel, and Aalardin - Gawain states that Florence and Lovel are his cousins, though he never says how. Luneta states that Aalardin is also a cousin. *Sir Kai - Sir Kai is Gawain's uncle Arthur's foster brother, and they see each other as family. *Igraine - Gawain's grandmother and a great enchantress among faeries. Though she died in the World of Men, she now dwells in the Seelie Court. *Gorlois - Gawain's grandfather, the first husband of Igraine. *Uther - Gawain's step-grandfather, the father of Arthur and second husband of Igraine. Appearances *Squire Terence and the Maiden's Knight (renamed The Squire's Tale) *The Squire, His Knight, and His Lady (formerly Sir Gawain, His Squire, and His Lady) *The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf *Parsifal's Page *The Ballad of Sir Dinadan (mentioned only) *The Princess, the Crone, and the Dung-Cart Knight (formerly Lady Sarah and the Dung-Cart Knight) *The Lioness and Her Knight *The Quest of the Fair Unknown *The Squire's Quest *The Legend of the King Trivia *It is implied that Guinglain may actually be the son of Gawain and Lorie, as seventeen years before his birth would have placed Gawain and Terence in Avalon, and also because Gawain is shown to be very true to Lorie after their first meeting. *Gawain would have been the King of the Orkney Islands, but Arthur became High King and Gawain became a knight of his court instead. *Gawain is technically the ruler of the Orkney Islands, but he doesn't live there, leaving the rule and management to Gaheris and Lynet instead. Also, while the Orkneys are islands, there is never any mention of crossing over water when Luneta travels from the Orkneys to Camelot. *Gawain is related to a good portion of the other main characters in the series, some by blood, others by marriage. Category:Characters in Squire Terence and the Maiden's Knight Category:Characters in The Squire, His Knight and His Lady Category:Characters in The Savage Damsel and the Dwarf